When I watched Icelandic indie pop/folk band Of Monsters and Men’s performance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show today, it made me realize it was about time I wrote about their videos. After all, the band puts out some of the most beautiful music videos around. Particularly as most of them are extremely low budget.
So  here are, I think, the top three Of Monsters and Men music videos. All three are also, coincidentally, some of my favorite tracks — although tracks themselves tend to be difficult to narrow down as ‘the best’, as everything this incredible indie band puts out is so very good.
Of Monsters and Men — ‘Empire’
The video for ‘Empire‘ is one of the most romantic music videos Of Monsters and Men has released. It features a relationship between two women, one much older than the other. A relationship that, in many people’s eyes, should be ‘forbidden’.
And what’s interesting here is not only the aesthetic of the video, which is gorgeous, but also that this complete story is told in just five minutes yet, told so well and so magically, it grabs your heart.
As video director Tabitha Denholm said of the video —
“This is a Harold and Maude type relationship. The older character actually has the more youthful, liberated spirit which inspires the jaded youngster. It’s a twist on the conventions of age that is often borne out in real life. The fact that they are both women has a magical dimension in that Ingmari the elder can see herself in Erika, but i think the profound effect one person can have on another is quite magical.”
The two women in the video are the iconic and stunning Swedish model Ingmari Lamy, and Erika Linder, known for her beautiful yet androgynous looks.
Now isn’t this wonderful?
You can buy Of Monsters and Men’s latest album from one of the major digital music sites.
Of Monsters and Men — ‘Human‘ lyrics video
Like my third top three Of Monsters and Men music video below, ‘Human‘ features nothing more than an Icelandic actor, this time Björn Stefánsson, against a black backdrop lip syncing to the words of the song.
What makes this so lovely, though, is the man’s chiseled face that, at first glance, seems to promise a staunch character without much emotion. Instead, he perfectly captures the wild abandon and intense feeling of the song.
If I lose control
I feed the beast within
Cage me like an animal
A crown with gems and gold
Of Monsters and Men — ‘Crystals’ lyrics video
Yes, Of Monsters and Men did release an official music video for ‘Crystals‘. Me, though, I preferred the lyrics video, as it’s far more striking with the Icelandic character actor Siggi Sigurjóns lip syncing to the lyrics.
Because his face is old, and rugged and tragic, and it seems to foretell of a character that carries the weight of the world on his back.
And doesn’t that just make you want to hug him?
Coincidentally, all of the top three Of Monsters and Men videos I’ve chosen, ‘Empire‘, ‘Human‘ and ‘Crystals‘ are of songs from Of Monsters and Men’s second studio album Beneath The Skin.